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It takes a little longer than Alaric had anticipated, but he gets that bracelet made (it's pretty enough, in a sense, though it's also just black and white, basically hinged in the center with an invisible clasp) and finds Caleb's address.
The collar is in his pocket and he knocks soundly at the door - and hopes that he is home. if not he'll just hang around like a creep for a bit. Maybe leave a note on the door to be contacted and then come back when Caleb returns.
The collar is in his pocket and he knocks soundly at the door - and hopes that he is home. if not he'll just hang around like a creep for a bit. Maybe leave a note on the door to be contacted and then come back when Caleb returns.
Caleb is home. He doesn't currently have a neighbor so it's quiet and with the city feeding him, he doesn't have much impetus to go out. He opens the door, his expression going from surprised to delighted immediately.
"Hey. I... shit, did I miss a call or something?"
"Hey. I... shit, did I miss a call or something?"
"No." The delight and the question both make him smile, just a bit. He takes the box out of his pocket and holds it up. "I brought you a present. Can I come in?"
"Uuuh." He glances back inside, trying to decide if the place is too messy for guests, he just picked up his laundry, and there's no dirty dishes. "Yeah, of course."
He opens the door wider to let Alaric in, like someone who is cool and capable and not at all in desperate need of an adult.
"I have, uh... orange soda and chips."
Orange soda and chips are cool, capable meals.
He opens the door wider to let Alaric in, like someone who is cool and capable and not at all in desperate need of an adult.
"I have, uh... orange soda and chips."
Orange soda and chips are cool, capable meals.
"...Please find a submissive at least 5 years older than you are," he says, gently. Because that is not a meal and he's been here long enough to know it, even if he can't cook for anything.
He gets inside and closes the door behind him. "I got your bracelet made."
He gets inside and closes the door behind him. "I got your bracelet made."
"That's super rude." He says smiling. He knows Alaric has a point but he thinks he's been doing okay, all things considered. "Thanks, I... uh, can we test it out?"
He's very eager to try, and immensely grateful. He's been afraid of snapping pretty much since he first arrived and having a fail safe is a huge relief.
He's very eager to try, and immensely grateful. He's been afraid of snapping pretty much since he first arrived and having a fail safe is a huge relief.
"I have never been rude in my life."
Yes.
Yes he has.
He offers the box to Caleb. "Of course we can."
He'll even stop shielding right about now - or shield less - which means his concern and warmth - really warm, actually - at least are pretty clearly perceptible. Even his pride and eagerness and hope that the bracelet works.
Yes.
Yes he has.
He offers the box to Caleb. "Of course we can."
He'll even stop shielding right about now - or shield less - which means his concern and warmth - really warm, actually - at least are pretty clearly perceptible. Even his pride and eagerness and hope that the bracelet works.
"Thanks."
He takes the box, and as he's taking out the bracelet, he feels himself blush, he doesn't even fully registers what he's blushing about at first, he looks up from the bracelet, and then it clicks and the blush grows a shade deeper.
"Oh man, you've been so easy on me." He's as pleased as he's embarrassed, he's missed having that kind of warmth directed at him.
He puts the bracelet on, and the warmth quiets down immediately, so he takes it off again.
"It's like closing a door."
He takes the box, and as he's taking out the bracelet, he feels himself blush, he doesn't even fully registers what he's blushing about at first, he looks up from the bracelet, and then it clicks and the blush grows a shade deeper.
"Oh man, you've been so easy on me." He's as pleased as he's embarrassed, he's missed having that kind of warmth directed at him.
He puts the bracelet on, and the warmth quiets down immediately, so he takes it off again.
"It's like closing a door."
"It is exactly like closing a door." He's pleased both that it's working for Caleb and pleased when Caleb chooses to take it off again. It's in his emotions but it's also in his smile. "But I don't want to rifle through your mind for an answer. What do you mean I've been easy on you?"
"Your feelings. You're... you're very warm."
He doesn't think he'd mind Alaric rifling through his mind. He's kind and Caleb doesn't think he'd use anything he'd find against him.
"You had the shield up so I didn't know."
He doesn't think he'd mind Alaric rifling through his mind. He's kind and Caleb doesn't think he'd use anything he'd find against him.
"You had the shield up so I didn't know."
He has rules for how he conducts himself. He's also trying to learn to communicate more with words and people who don't have the option of reading him.
Still, he appreciates the trust.
He laughs, quietly and with something like surprise. "It's a secret. Don't tell anyone." He's teasing, mostly. "Not that most of them would believe you."
Still, he appreciates the trust.
He laughs, quietly and with something like surprise. "It's a secret. Don't tell anyone." He's teasing, mostly. "Not that most of them would believe you."
"You're kidding."
There's no way Alaric isn't this sweet in general, he won't believe it. He slips the bracelet into his pocket, deciding he doesn't want to block Alaric at all.
"Does the door close both ways?"
There's no way Alaric isn't this sweet in general, he won't believe it. He slips the bracelet into his pocket, deciding he doesn't want to block Alaric at all.
"Does the door close both ways?"
"I am not."
He's kind of remote with probably 90% of people and has a limited tolerance for... restrictive touch that results in some people feeling rejected at some point.
"Does the door close - Do you mean can I still read you, if you're wearing the bracelet?"
He's kind of remote with probably 90% of people and has a limited tolerance for... restrictive touch that results in some people feeling rejected at some point.
"Does the door close - Do you mean can I still read you, if you're wearing the bracelet?"
"Yeah. It's cool either way, I'm just curious."
If he runs into another empath or a mind-reader and he's giving off nothing, that would probably freak them out. Caleb knows he'd have freaked out if he'd met someone with shields up before he knew shields were a thing.
If he runs into another empath or a mind-reader and he's giving off nothing, that would probably freak them out. Caleb knows he'd have freaked out if he'd met someone with shields up before he knew shields were a thing.
"When you put it on I couldn't read you, but I also did not try to push through the magic." Manners and rules and all. "Do you want to put it back on and see if it can keep me out, or just to know what others will be reading at first?"
Also: "...can I change my mind about the chips and soda?" They may as well settle and get comfortable if they're going to talk.
Also: "...can I change my mind about the chips and soda?" They may as well settle and get comfortable if they're going to talk.
Caleb immediately walks over to the kitchen area to get one of those huge bottles of orange soda from the fridge (he has eggs and little else in there), a bag of chips from the pantry (there's a lot of chips and also, he's stocked up on cans, mostly tuna) and two glasses.
He's hoping Alaric isn't peeking, he knows he's living like a frat boy and that's not the impression he wants to be giving. He brings the soda, glasses and chips to the table, balancing it all somewhat precariously with both hands.
"Can we do both? I'm really curious."
He's hoping Alaric isn't peeking, he knows he's living like a frat boy and that's not the impression he wants to be giving. He brings the soda, glasses and chips to the table, balancing it all somewhat precariously with both hands.
"Can we do both? I'm really curious."
Good news: Alaric mostly has other people cooking for him. His kind of cooking involves a whole dead animal, a stick, and an open fire.
He follows behind Caleb.
"We don't need to do the second. I cannot read you without effort with it on."
He follows behind Caleb.
"We don't need to do the second. I cannot read you without effort with it on."
"So you'll try to push through?" He slips the bracelet back on, blinks down, still surprised by how immediate the effect is.
"Seriously, this is gonna save me so many headaches."
"Seriously, this is gonna save me so many headaches."
He flashes a smile. "Saving you the headaches is the whole idea."
He is pushing while he says that, though not as hard as he possibly could -- to start. Fairly careful then ramping up until he twitches and almost flinches.
"I can't get through it. That doesn't mean no one can, but I can't."
He's... proud of that.
He is pushing while he says that, though not as hard as he possibly could -- to start. Fairly careful then ramping up until he twitches and almost flinches.
"I can't get through it. That doesn't mean no one can, but I can't."
He's... proud of that.
"Awesome!" He takes the bracelet off again and slips it into his pocket, he's thrilled and immensely grateful, and he just really likes Alaric. "If there's ever anything I can do, I'm there."
He knows Alaric doesn't expect to be paid back, that this is him helping because he can, but Caleb would like to do something for him anyway.
He knows Alaric doesn't expect to be paid back, that this is him helping because he can, but Caleb would like to do something for him anyway.
"You are," he says, with a smile that's just pure, absolute, warmth, "one of the most honest people I have ever met."
Then he leans in and, yeah, impulsively and lightly, kisses Caleb.
Then he leans in and, yeah, impulsively and lightly, kisses Caleb.
The kiss startles him, but it doesn't startle him enough not to immediately kiss back. He keeps it light and brief because he's still relatively new at this and he really doesn't want to mess it up. He's had one crush before, it took him ages to figure out it was a crush, and then even longer to do anything about it.
It's easier this time because he knows what he's feeling, and he knows what Alaric is feeling. But he still doesn't really know what he's doing, and it's hard to like someone else and not think of his boyfriend back home.
"I like you a lot."
It's redundant to say it when Alaric's a mind-reader. But there it is.
It's easier this time because he knows what he's feeling, and he knows what Alaric is feeling. But he still doesn't really know what he's doing, and it's hard to like someone else and not think of his boyfriend back home.
"I like you a lot."
It's redundant to say it when Alaric's a mind-reader. But there it is.
Being kissed back is a bigger clue than anything in Caleb's head. He's deliberately letting his warmth and affection out, knowing it's probably nice for Caleb, but it isn't his default--
and he has too many manners to dig too deep into Caleb's head or really read thoughts, anyway.
He laughs a bit at the declaration. "I'm glad, because I like you too - and if you haven't met another Caleb, yet, you should. He's also nice." They remind him of each other and he likes both a lot.
and he has too many manners to dig too deep into Caleb's head or really read thoughts, anyway.
He laughs a bit at the declaration. "I'm glad, because I like you too - and if you haven't met another Caleb, yet, you should. He's also nice." They remind him of each other and he likes both a lot.
"Cooler Caleb, yeah, I met him." It's a bit of a joke because the other Caleb thought it was funny. "He likes you a lot too."
He loves this, kind helpful people already knowing and liking each other.
"I had a bit of a freak out on the network the other day, made an anon post and he offered help right away."
It wasn't a bad idea, and things went much better than he could've hoped. But Caleb wonders if maybe his approach is a little rushed.
He loves this, kind helpful people already knowing and liking each other.
"I had a bit of a freak out on the network the other day, made an anon post and he offered help right away."
It wasn't a bad idea, and things went much better than he could've hoped. But Caleb wonders if maybe his approach is a little rushed.
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